C-47 on D-Day question

[Guest]

Buy yourself a second hand Dakota Adrian. Pile the stuff in and make a special delivery and make the show. Show the C47 model against the real thing.

A winner I think. No- oh well down to earth so to speak.

Laurie

[Guest]

They would have had them organised in lines, all over the place wherever they would fit. http://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ae167944_GGDDay05.jpg

This picture alone shows the truly massive operation that was D-day.

[stona]

This picture alone shows the truly massive operation that was D-day.

Except that none of those aircraft have 'Distinctive Markings' a.k.a. invasion stripes. The markings were to be applied as late as possible. The operational memorandum contains the following.

'Army, Navy and Air Commanders will disseminate complete information concerning these distinctive markings to all troops under their commands no earlier before the day of the assault than will insure [sic] the complete distribution of the information'

Underlined in the original.

For most units this was 48-24 hours before the original date for D-Day.

That photo was taken well before D-Day or well after. The markings were not entirely removed until much later.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I wonder were Steve's (Kir) picture of the C47 was taken ? That is a big flat area to find in Britain. Have you any idea Steve (Kir) ?

Another thing I found is that the Americans called the transporter the C47 the Dakota was an RAF term for the aircraft. It was taken apparently from the first letters of Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft.

I have always thought the looks of the Vickers Viscount had some of the Dakota in it.

Laurie

[stona]

I wonder were Steve's (Kir) picture of the C47 was taken ? That is a big flat area to find in Britain.Laurie

There were a lot of US bases in East Anglia and that's flat as a pan cake

Might that picture be from 'Varsity'? I think that the lower portion of the stripes was still in place at the time of 'Market Garden' (but I haven't checked.) I can't tell if they are there or not in the photo.

Steve

[Guest]

All interesting stuff and I hope you do not mind Adrian !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NorthWitham-19mar44.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Folkingham-9may1944.jpg

Two of the C47 airfields in Lincolnshire. The Folkinham one shows aircraft lined up on the airfield.

Laurie